Sunday, November 25, 2007

Air Raid Precautions and Cigarette Cards

Photograph of a WW2 cigarette card demonstrating Air Raid precautions. This card, number 37 out of a series of 50, shows a 'Supply Depot for Respirators'.

I was recently given a batch of WW2 cigarette cards displaying various aspects of Air Raid Precautions (48 from a series of 50 cards). The individual cards would have been inserted into a packet of cigarettes. Unfortunately, over the years, some of the print has come off the reverse of the cards. The surface of the reverse side of the card was adhesive so it could be stuck into an album. The price of the album was 1d and were obtainable from the tobacconist. The Air Raid Precautions cards being distributed in packs of cigarettes perhaps rather reflects the way things were done in the war years.

Click on 'Comments' for additional information from the reverse of the card Supply Depots for Respirators.

5 Comments:

This subject shows the examination of respirators at one of London's Regional Supply Depots, of which there are now three in existence to serve the needs of the Metropolis. Ten similar Regional Supply Depots are being constructed in the provinces. Respirators, after being suitably packed, for long storage at these Depots, are then to be moved to store centres. Each centre is expected to house about 30,000 to 40,000 respirators, and its location is to be determined after consultation with local authorities. In the event of an emergency, respirators would be unpacked at the store centres, prepared for use, and issued to the public through distributing depots which would each handle about 4,000 respirators".

The cigarette cards were initially plain cards inserted to stiffen the packages then some smart guy had the brainwave to use them for advertising.There are numerous series to do with helping in the war effort and as with this set giving advice.

Joseph - your comment ' reflects the way things were done in the war' is quite right as there was nothing wrong with smoking in those days - Monty handed out thousands in his time - we had a free issue of 50 per week overseas - I remember Ron telling us that he got through some 300 per week - being an athlete in those early days , I never smoked until I was wounded and it was the first thing administered- a Canadian N0 7 cigarette - cooled me down - but I was hooked and now pay the penalty with C.O.P.D.....Cancer was not top of the polls in those days - probably was called something else !

Regarding smoking, I remember my maternal grandmother telling me about the beginning of the war when she got on the bus with her children (mother and uncle) and seeing a young woman smoking a cigarette for the first time. It was quite common for men to smoke, and her husband (my granddad) smoked a pipe.